Category: Media center

BULATSA inaugured its own Security Operations Center (SOC).
The project for its construction is implemented through co-financing from the Cohesion Fund of the European Commission under Connecting Europe Facility.

The project is one of its kind amongst the projects currently being implemented with funding from the European Commission and entirely follows the latest trends in the field of cyber-threat protection.
The Security Operations Center is an overall solution that will provide effective protection against cyber-threats to the BULATSA’s IT infrastructure, including its remote locations – the air traffic control centers in Varna, Burgas, Plovdiv and Gorna Oryahovitsa.
The platform encompasses people, processes and technologies involved in the network control and monitoring, incident response, research and active search for known or unknown, conventional and modern cyber-threats.
Presently, BULATSA is the only air navigation services provider in the Balkans, which has successfully implemented such a project.
The project funding will continue in 2019 also, with additional fine tunings and system improvements being made during this period.

Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority (BULATSA) notifies aircraft operators and users of the Bulgarian airspace regarding the publication of the sixth edition of Aeronautical chart 1:500 000. The chart is available and may be ordered through the AIS department by sending the order form, given in Appendix to Aeronautical Information Circular – AIC 06/18.
The order form is provided below.

Starting yesterday, BULATSA implemented area navigation at Plovdiv Airport. The plan for modernization of the airspace organization of Plovdiv TMA was completed with the publication of new approach and departure procedures based on area navigation, duly approved by DG CAA in its capacity as national supervisory authority.
The procedures have been developed in accordance with ICAO SARPs for the application of area navigation and are the first of this kind at Plovdiv Airport. Their introduction create new possibilities for flexible definition of flight trajectories and possibilities for moving the airplane routes outside of the military training zones, increasing airspace capacity and reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
The introduction of area navigation in Bulgaria started in 2012 with the participation of BULATSA in SHERPA and NASCIO projects, funded by the European Commission.
With the introduction of the changes at Plovdiv Airport, the process of overall modernization of airspace organization and flight procedures in all our civil airports was completed. This places Bulgaria among the leading European countries in the field – the rate of implemented area navigation in Europe by the end of 2018 is expected to be around 60%.
The changes have become possible also thanks to the support of the European Commission, GSA, Eurocontrol, ESSP, Pildo Labs and DG CAA.

BULATSA participated in the meeting “ICAO Summit on Cybersecurity in Civil Aviation Europe, Middle East and Africa”, organised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation – ICAO, for discussing issues regarding the information security.
More than 400 delegates from 60 countries attended the event, among which the ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu, the EASA Executive Director Mr. Patrick Ky, the EUROCONTROL Director General Mr. Eammon Brennan, the IATA vice-president Mr. Rafael Schwartzman, representatives of CANSO, the industry, researchers etc.
Mr. Patrick Ky spoke about the importance of the exchange of information between the stakeholders and underlined that the cyber security shall be an unaltered element of the integrated management system and a part of the safety management system of the organisations.
The participants discussed the obligation of every air navigation services provider to play a role in the protection of the human life, in the continuity of service and the basic rights related to flights. The information security was designated as one of the major engines to guarantee the safety and the regularity of providing air traffic services.
It was noted at the forum that the information security does not only refer to the information technology but also affects the organisations as a complex of commitments, roles and responsibilities, people, their culture and technical skills and the technology.
Mr. Eammon Brennan highlighted the challenges to the aviation industry and underlined that the approach only at national level is insufficient and “we shall think about the cyber threats not “if” but “when” they will happen”. He underlined also that there shall be a balance between safety and security.
In many of the presentations it was noted that the cyber-threats and the cyber-attacks are becoming “a business” (“Crime as a business”) which is an exceptional challenge for all organisations worldwide.

The Gate One CEOs met on May 11th in Budapest to discuss high level ATM issues relevant for the Gate One region. The conference was dedicated to share views and formulate common positions on significant topics such as the new Network Functions Implementing Rule and RP3 preparation, and developments of the Digital Single European Sky concept. Gate One CEOs also expressed their view of the future ATM environment and fundamentals of the new CANSO Strategy. For the next one year term, Gate One chairmanship will be undertaken by Mr Kornél Szepessy, CEO of HungaroControl.

A high-level meeting between BULATSA Director General Mr. Georgi Peev and the Director General of EUROCONTROL (the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation) Mr. Eamonn Brennan was held on 8 May 2018. This is the first meeting of Mr. Brennan in Sofia since he took office as Director General of EUROCONTROL on 1 January 2018.
The talks were focused at stronger collaboration between EUROCONTROL and BULATSA, the challenges of the ATM environment, the forthcoming opening of the new airport in Istanbul and its impact on the Network.
The visit of EUROCONTROL Director General indicates the appreciation of the strategic cooperation with the Republic of Bulgaria as well as the high importance of the Bulgarian Airspace in the European ATM Network.
During his visit Mr. Brennan held meetings with the Minister of the Transport, Information Technology and Communications Mr. Ivaylo Moskovski and with the Director General of Civil Aviation Administration (DG CAA) Mr. Stanimir Leshev.
In the current context of transformation of the European air traffic management and the responsibilities of EUROCONTROL as Network Manager Mr. Brennan is amongst the most influential officials in the civil aviation area.
Before joining EUROCONTROL Mr. Brennan was Chief Executive of the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA). With over 35 years’ experience in both the public and private sector he has played a central role in the development of aviation policy both at national and international level.